


Safest Place to Hide

by sartiebodyshots



Category: Falling Skies
Genre: M/M, Nightmares, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-10
Updated: 2015-11-10
Packaged: 2018-04-30 23:22:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5183555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sartiebodyshots/pseuds/sartiebodyshots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben has nightmares after the war.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Safest Place to Hide

Ben is under water.  He’s under so much water.  He tries to fight his way to the surface, but there’s something weighing him down.

When he looks down, he sees a skitter holding onto his feet, gripping him with its disgusting hands.  No matter how much he kicks, he can’t shake himself free.

His lungs are screaming for air and he looks up to see Dad standing above him.  Dad is looking down at him, considering.  But he doesn’t reach down to help him.  He just watches, no matter how hard Ben screams.

“Ben!  Ben!”

Where’s that voice coming from?  He knows it but he can’t place it.  The voice is comforting to him, though, even if it’s scared, too. 

He opens his eyes, and there’s something hovering over him.  It’s too dark to see, and Ben pushes it away from him out of habit, but the damn thing doesn’t move.

“Ben!  You are safe!” It’s Frederick.  His boyfriend.  “We are in bed.  You are safe.”

“Oh,” Ben says, going limp.  “Sorry for trying to push you away.”

“It is okay.  I am worried about you,” Frederick says. 

“Just another bad dream.  I’m fine,” Ben says, even if he doesn’t feel it.

“You are not fine.  This is a regular occurrence, and disturbances in your rest are detrimental to your health.  I know this,” Frederick says.

“You’re so smart,” Ben says, sighing.  Sometimes he wishes Frederick was ignorant of human stuff like this.

He can barely see Frederick in the dim moonlight, but he can tell that he’s concerned.  And not just because Frederick is often concerned. 

“It may be beneficial for you to talk about it,” Frederick says.  “I am told that that helps humans.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Ben says, roughly.  “I want to be able to sleep again.”

“I want to be able to help you sleep,” Frederick says, caressing his cheek.

“I’m gonna go get a glass of water,” Ben says, squirming out from under Frederick’s touch.  “You can stay here.”

Frederick sighs and nods.  “I will remain.”

Ben walks down the hall to the kitchen, flicks the light on, and grabs a glass from the cupboard.  He’s not actually that thirsty, but he needed a second to breathe.  Frederick is so caring, but he already has to deal with so much, as Volm ambassador to Earth.

Plus… Ben knows that the Volm- Frederick included- really like and respect his dad.  He’s important to them because he freed their planet from the Espheni.  And if he tells Frederick about how his dad hurt him, it might make Frederick respect his dad less. 

Or worse: because he’s Volm, he won’t understand why it’s upsetting.

He splashes some water on his face. 

Maybe he needs some more faith in Frederick.  But their relationship is still so new and possibly fragile; it’s so good to be cared for like this.  Why risk that for his stupid issues?  There are so many pros and so many cons to opening up to Frederick and he tries to sort through them all.

 “Ben,” Frederick’s voice is soft behind him.  “I did not want to disturb you, but it has been half an hour and I worried you fell asleep out here.”

Ben shakes himself a little and then turns towards Frederick.  “Sorry, I was thinking.”

It’s light in the kitchen, and it means that Ben can see just how worried Frederick is.  The lines of his face deeper than usual and the sadness in his eyes.

Ben’s not doing any of them any favors. 

“I usually dream that I’m drowning under water.  And there’s a skitter dragging me down.  I try to fight, but I can’t get it off,” Ben says, crossing his arms tightly.  “Then I look up to see Dad looking down and watching me, but he doesn’t help.”

“I do not understand why he would not help you.  He cares about you deeply,” Frederick says. 

“At the end of the war, my dad had to use every advantage against the Espheni,” Ben says softly, looking at the floor.  “That included my spikes.  Which were, you know, attached to me.  And I don’t think that he could be my dad when he did that.”

“He hurt you,” Frederick states.

“I could hook up to an Overlord, and if my dad distracted it by hurting it, I could read its mind and gather intelligence.  Or I could access their communication network, which didn’t like having me there much,” Ben says.  “But Dad kept pushing me to do it.  I mean- I wanted to do it- but he probably should’ve tried to stop me at least a little.  Or checked on me afterwards.  Something.”

“You are the one who discovered the truth of the Espheni queen, and the one who discovered where the Espheni’s final strike against Earth would come,” Frederick says almost reverently.

“I guess,” Ben says, shrugging.  “My dad used to take care of me whenever I needed it, but then he just… wasn’t there anymore.”

“I am sorry,” Frederick says.  “I am sorry that I do not know what to say or how to comfort you.”

“You don’t think I should just, like, deal with it or whatever?” Ben asks.

Frederick takes a couple steps towards him and touches his elbows carefully.  “His behavior towards you is unacceptable.  Human parents are supposed to care for and protect their offspring.”

Ben looks up at him hesitantly.  “In the end, it did protect us.”

“You do not have to defend him to me,” Frederick says.  “As a Volm, I understand what sacrifices must be made sometimes.”

“I, uh, kind of worried about that.  I thought that you’d think that it was dumb of me to be upset, especially to be having _nightmares_ about it,” Ben says.

“We were raised in very different cultures, Ben, and sometimes that may cause problems. But I will always attempt to understand things from your perspective, especially when the matter at hand is so important to you and so human,” Frederick says.

“I can see why you’re such a great diplomat,” Ben says, smiling at him shyly.  “And you’re a great boyfriend.”

“Thank you,” Frederick says.  “You and my duty are the two most important things in my life.”

“The nightmares aren’t going to magically go away, just because I told you about them,” Ben warns him as Frederick wraps an arm around him and starts leading him down the hall.

“I know,” Frederick says.  “But when something is wrong with you, I want to know what it is.”

Ben yawns.  “That yawn was going to be very profound.”

“I am certain,” Frederick says.  “It is late.  You should attempt to sleep some more.”

They lay down, Frederick’s head resting on his chest.

“I hope you do not wake up again, but if you do, I will be here for you,” Frederick assures him.  “And if you need anything, please inform me.”

Ben lets his eyes slide shut.

And sure enough, when he wakes up again, Frederick is there with a comforting hand on his shoulder and his soothing voice.  Nightmares always suck, but it’s better when he doesn’t have to wake up alone.


End file.
